WEBVTT
WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS ACTUALLY
CALLED A LAVA LAKE.
IT FLOWED JUST OVER A MILE TO
THE OCEAN.
NOW TO OUR COMMITMENT 2016
COVERAGE AND THE RACE FO
SALINAS MAYOR.
ERIN: CURRENT MAYOR JOE GUNTER
IS RUNNING FOR HIS THIRD TERM,
BUT HE HAS A CHALLENGER,
POLITICAL NEWCOMER AMIT PANDYA.
WE GET A LOOK AT BOTH CANDIDATES
FROM ACTION NEWS REPORTER FELIX
CORTEZ.
>> MAYOR JOE GUNTER HAS BEEN
SALINAS'S MAYOR FOR THE LAST 4
YEARS.
HE WANTS VOTERS TO SEND HIM BACK
FOR TWO MORE.
>> HERE'S WHAT I SEE HAPPENING
IN NEXT TWO YEARS, WE'RE GOING
TO HIRE BETWEEN 20-30 NEW POLICE
OFFICERS, WE'RE GOING TO GET OUR
OFFICERS IN SCHOOLS.
NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICERS WILL BE
OUT THERE AND THAT'S JUST A
SMALL PORTION.
WE START CONSTRUCTION ON NEW
LIBRARY AND THE POLICE STATION.
FELIX: WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE
OUR ROADS AND PARKS AND WE'RE
MAKE THIS A MORE LIVABLE
COMMUNITY.
GUNTER IS BEING CHALLENGED BY
SMALL BUSINESS OWNER AMIT
PANDYA, WHO SAYS 4 YEARS OF
GUNTER IS ENOUGH, IT'S TIME FOR
NEW LEADERSHIP.
>> IT ISN'T WORKING.
IT'S NOT WORKING ON OUR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING ANGLE, IT'S
NOT WORKING ON OUR HOMELESS
SITUATION, IT'S NOT WORKING WITH
OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, STREETS, A
SIDEWALKS, AND DEFINITELY NOT
WORKING ON PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
SALINAS DID SEE A RECORD 40
HOMICIDES LAST YEAR AND THE CITY
IS ON PACE TO BREAK THAT RECORD
THIS YEAR.
>> IT'S MY FAULT THE MAYOR
DIDN'T DO A GOOD JOB HE'S ONLY
ADDRESSING THE ISSUE NOW WE'LL
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY LAST
YEAR.
FELIX: THE MAYOR IS REFERRING TO
MEASURE G, A $20 MILLION TAX
MEASURE APPROVED BY VOTERS THE
YEAR BEFORE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY,
INFRASTRUCTURE, AND RECREATION
>> WE'RE HIRING MORE POLICEMAN,
WE'RE GOING TO BUILD A NEW
POLICE STATION, WE'RE BEEFING UP
OUR SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY,
WE'RE FIXING SIDEWALKS, WE'RE
WORKING ON THE ROADS.
WE'VE PUT NEW LIGHTS ALL OVER
THE CITY, WE GOT SOLAR GOING I
FELIX: THE MAYOR'S TERM ALSO SAW
CHINATOWN SWEEPS EARLIER THIS
YEAR IN WHICH HOMELESS
ENCAMPMENTS WERE FORCED OUT OF
THE AREA BECAUSE THEY WERE
CROWDING SIDEWALKS AND STREETS,
POSING A HEALTH AND SAFETY RISK.
MAYOR SAYS A NEW HOMELESS
SERVICES CENTER WILL OPEN SOON
IN CHINATOWN AND THE CITY IS
PARTNERING WITH THE COUNTY TO
OPEN A NEW WARMING SHELTER ON
MARKET STREET.
PANDYA SAYS TINY HOMES LIKE
THESE COULD HOUSE THE HOMELESS
ON CITY OWNED LAND.
>> TINY HOMES AT THE COST OF
$1,600 EACH CLEAN POLICED FREE
OF DRUGS, ALCOHOL, ANY
SUBSTANCE.
FELIX: PANDYA SAYS A PRIORITY
WILL BE CURBING THE CITY'S GANG
VIOLENCE.
HE TOO WANTS TO HIRE MORE COPS
AND BUILD A BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB
IN EAST SALINAS, DECREASE THE
VIOLENCE.
PANDYA SAYS AND MORE BUSINESS
WILL COME TO TOWN.
>> YOU KNOW SOMETIMES PERCEPTION
IS REALITY AND PERCEPTION OF
SALINAS FROM THE OUTSIDE IT IS
FILLED WITH CRIMES AND MURDERS
AND BULLETS AND DRUGS AND GANG
WHO WOULD WANT TO COME BRING
THEIR BRAND NEW COMPANY.
FELIX: AMIT SAYS HE'LL BRING 30
YEARS OF SMALL BUSINESS
EXPERIENCE TO THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE.
HE WAS ON THE SALINAS OLDTOWN
ASSOCIATION BOARD FOR 6 YEARS,
TWO YEARS AS IT'S PRESIDENT, BUT
PANDYA HAS HAD LEGAL TROUBLE, 11
CIVIL CASES INVOLVING SMALL
CLAIMS, COLLECTIONS AND BREA
OF CONTRACT, THE MOST RECENT A
CLAIM FILED BY AN UNSATISFIED
CUSTOMER AT HIS SOUTH MAIN AUTO
SHOP.
>> THE GUY FILED A LAWSUIT
DEMANDING MONEY TO BE RETURNED.
WE WENT TO THE COURT AND COURT
SAID NO.
THE JUDGE DID AND HE SAID IF YOU
HAVE ANY OTHER PROBLEMS, BRING
THE CAR BACK TO THE SHOP AND
THEY'LL CHECK IT OU
DAN: MAYOR GUNTER IS A FORMER
COP, SPENT MORE THAN 30 YEARS
WITH SALINAS PD.
A PRIORITY WILL BE TO GET THE
DEPARTMENT MORE OFFICERS, WHICH
IS ALREADY UNDERSTAFFED AND
OVERWORKED.
>> FELLOW COUNCILMEMBER'S AND I
HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS, BUT WE
WILL HIRE 10 A YEAR UNTIL WE GET
WELL IN EXCESS OF THAT NUMBER,
SO THAT WE CAN ACTIVELY PROVIDE